anorexia ner·vo·sa (nûr-v ōs ə)
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n. An eating disorder that is characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight, a distorted self-image, a persistent unwillingness to eat, and extremely low body weight, and is often accompanied by self-induced vomiting or excessive exercise. It most commonly affects young women and can lead to amenorrhea, malnutrition, brittle bones, and other physiological changes.
[New Latin anorexia nervōsa : anorexia, anorexia + nervōsa, feminine of nervōsus, nervous.] |